Game apparatus



July 24, 1934. H! AMSDEN 1,967,217

GAME APPARATUS Filed Jan. 15, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 24, 1934. H; AM DEN 1,967,217

GAME APPARATUS Filed Jan. 15, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 24, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GAME ATPARATUS FHOWflld Amsden, Meadville, Pa.

Application January 13, 1933, Serial No. 651,598

Claims. (01. 273- 94) This invention relates to game apparatus, and

.has for one of its objects to provide an apparatus of this character adapted to be used in connection with a billiard table for the purpose '5 of playing a game simulating the game of football.

To attain the foregoing and other objects, the nature of which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprehends a game apparatus which will include a miniature football movable over the representation of a football .field, and manually operable means through the medium of which the football may be moved to make gainssustain losses or make scores as may be determined by the skill of the respective players in the game of pocket billiards.

The invention further comprehends a. game'apparatus of the character stated, wherein the manually operable means for the football will include .a drum, a cable secured to the drum and having a run thereof guided for movement 1ongitudinally of the field, an arm secured to such 'run of the cable and carrying the football, and 'a disc secured to the drum and providing means by which it may be manually operated to move the football over the field.

.The invention further comprehends an apparatus of the character stated which will include means controlling. the direction in which the respective players may rotate the-disc, such means permitting each player to move the disc only in the direction of his opponents goal through distances controlled .by the billiard balls as they are pocketed.

The invention further comprehends an apparatus .ofthe character stated which will include -means adapted to prevent the rotation of the 1 disc beyond a point necessary to move the football to either one of the goals of the field, and

o vmeans adapted .to prevent distortion of the disc,

whereby to prevent injury to the football carryling armand to the disc. l

The invention is hereinafter more fully described .and claimed, and illustrated in the -accompanying drawings, wherein,

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a room equipped with a billiard table and .my improved game apparatus,

Figure 2 is a view partly'in front elevation and partly in vertical section of the game apparatus,

Figure .3 is a sectional view taken on the vertical plane indicated by the line 33 -of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional view takenon the vertical .plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure .3,

Figure .5 is a sectional view taken on the horizontal plane indicated by the line 55 of Figure 3,:and.

Figure 6 is 'a perspective view of one of the thrust take-up devices for the drum actuating disc.

The game apparatus comprises a casing 1 which is of elongated rectangular formation in elevation and which may be made of metal or any other suitable material. The front, bottom, side and top Walls 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively, of the casing 1 may be formed integrally or made separately and secured together in any suitable manner, and the rear wall 6 of the casing ,may be removably secured by screws 57 to flanges 8 on the bottom, side and top walls.

The casing wall .2 is provided near its upper end with a pictorial "illustration of a football field superimposedon abilliard table. The field Qhas indicated-thereon field goal zones 9a and 91). A 7

horizontal slot v10 formed in the casing wall 2, extends centrally of the field 9 from the goal 11 to the goal 12 of the field. A horizontal arm 13 located in the casing 11, and having its front end extending through the slot 10 has a miniature drum 15, the periphery-of which is equal in extent to the length of the slot 10 is supported by a shaft 18 for rotation about a horizontal axis located below the slot. The drum 15 is fixed to the shaft 18 and the shaft is journaled in bearings 19 carnied by the casing walls 2 and 6. The pulleys 16 are :rotatably mounted in the casing 1 on shafts 20 which are carried by brackets 21 fixed to the casing walla. The pulleys 16, whichare located slightly beyond the ends of the slot 10 have the top portions of their peripheries arranged in alignment with the horizontal center of the slot, and the cable 17 is under tension, to support the horizontal run of thecable parallelto such center of the slot. The rear end-of the arm 1331s formed to provide a split eye 22 which receives the horizontal run of the cable 17 and which, through the medium of a screw 23, is firmly clamped to the cable. The ends of the cable 1'? are coiled about the drum 15., and are secured to the drum by a screw 24.

The periphery of thedrum 15 is equal in extent to the lengthof the slot 10 in order toeifect by one complete rotation of the drum the movement of the ball 14 throughout the entire length of the field. The horizontal run of the cable 1'7 is supported in parallel relation to the longitudinal center of the slot 10, and the width of the slot is greater than the thickness of the arm, to insure the free movement of the arm from end to end of the slot.

Means through the medium of which the drum may be manually rotated to effect the movement of the football 14 over the field 9, preferably comprises a vertical disc secured to the front end of the drum 15 and arranged in close parallel relation to the front casing wall 2. The disc 25 is larger diametrically than the drum 15 and is concentrically related to the drum. The disc 25 is provided near its periphery with an opening 26 for each yard of the field 9. An instrument,

and 28 with each of which sixteen of the openings register. All but the lowest of the openings 26 registering with the slots 2'7 and 28, are numbered from 1 to 15, the numbers being on the front side of the casing wall 2 close to the slots, as shown at 27a and 28a.

The drum 15 and disc 25 are of such relative proportions, the openings 26 are so relatively spaced, and the respective openings registering with the slots 27 and 28 are arranged in such spaced relation to the lower ends of the slots, that when the disc is moved to carry one of the openings from its normal position to the lower end of its slot, the football will be moved over the field for a distance corresponding to the distance in "yards indicated by its number. As for instance, if the instrument is engaged in that opening 26 registering with slot 27 opposite the number 8, and if the instrument is moved to the lower end of the slot, the football 14 will be moved over the field 9 for a distance corresponding to eight yards on a regulation field.

The game is started with the ball on the 50 yard line. The player defending goal 11 operates the disc 25 by engaging the instrument in those openings registering with the slot 28, and the player defending goal 12 operates the disc by engaging the instrument in those openings registering with the slot 2'7. As the slots 2'7 and 28 are arranged at opposite sides of the axis of the disc 25, the disc will be moved in one direction when the instrument is engaged with an opening registering with the slot 27, and it will be moved in the opposite direction when the instrument is engaged with an opening registering with the slot 28, with the result that the operation of the disc by one player will move the ball 14 in the direction of his opponents goal.

The thrust on the edge of the disc 25 resulting from the operation thereof, is taken up by shoes 29 made of felt or other suitable material and carried by brackets 30 secured to the casing walls 4. The shoes 29 contact with the rear side of the disc 25 near the edge thereof, and they are, together with the brackets 30, as long as the slots 2'7 and 28. The shoes 29 also hold the disc 25 against accidental rotation.

The disc 25 is held against movement through more than 360 degrees in opposite directions by means comprising a stop block 31 fixed. t0 th rear side of the disc, and a horizontally arranged stop lever 32 connected to a bracket plate 33 fixed to the rear casing wall 6 near the lower edge of the disc. The stop lever 32 is pivoted as at 34, to the bracket plate 33 for limited movement by the stop block 31 from one side to the other of a vertical line intersecting the axis 18 of the disc 25 and this movement is provided for in order to compensate for the thickness of the stop 31. The movement of the stop lever 32 is limited in each direction by angularly related extensions 35 and 36 which are carried by the pivoted end of the lever 32, and one of which contacts with the bracket plate 33 on the movement of the disc 25 through 360 degrees. When the football 14 is on the yard line, the stop block 31 is directly above the stop lever 32, and when the football is at one of the goals 11-12, the stop block is in contact with the stop lever, and one of the shoulders 35-36 of the latter is in contact with the bracket plate 33.

It will thus be seen that the stop mechanism prevents the disc 25 from being moved farther than is necessary to make a goal. The purpose of limiting the movement of the disc 25 is to and 37a, on the front side of the disc 25, to-

gether with a window 377) in the casing wall 2 and before which the numbers of each series successively appear as the disc is turned to move the football 14 over the field 9. The numbers of each of the series 3'7-3'7a range from 1 to 99.

The numbers of the outer series 37 increase in value clockwise of the disc 25, and the nun-- bers of the inner series 37a increase in value counterclockwise of the disc. When the disc 25 is turned clockwise to move the football 14 in the direction of the goal 12, the numbers of the outer series 3'7 successively appear in reverse order before the window 377), and the numbers of the inner series 37a successively appear in regular order before the window. When the disc 25 is turned counter-clockwise to move the football 14 in the direction of the goal 11, the numbers of the inner series 37a successively appear in reverse order, before the window 377),

and the numbers of the outer series 3'7 successively appear in regular order before the window.

The number of the outer series 3'7 appearing before the window 371) after each operation of the disc 25, indicates the distance of the rootball 14 from the goal 12 and the number of the inner series 3711 appearing before the window after each operation of the disc, indicates the distance of the football from the goal 11. As for instance, assuming that the football 14 is within one yard of the goal 12, number 1 of the,

stop lever in such manner that the shoulder 35- Will make solid contact with the. plate: 3-3; andprevent further operation of the disc in clockwise direction. The football 14 will now be at the endof the slot beneath. goal 1-2, and the eoalfi borne by the disc between highest and; lowest numbers of the series 37 and 37a, will be before the window 3713, indicating that a goal has been made. Further operation of the disc 25- is only possible incounter-clockwise direction. The operation of the disc 25 in. this direction results in the. movement ofthe football is in therdirection of the goal. 11. When this goal has been made the word Goal on the disc 25 will again appear before the window 37b. Arrows 38; and 39- of which the former points in-the direction of the goal 11 and the latter in the direction of the goall2, identify the respective numbers. appearing before the window 371) with their respective goals.

-Score sheets 40 are supported betweenthe slots 2'7 and 28.- by a member 41 which embraces the upper endsof the sheets and which is secured, as at" 41a. to the casing wall 2. The score sheets 40 are provided with arrows 4801., each of which points. to the slots through which. each player operates the disc 25, and the direction in which the football 14 moves over the fied 9 as the result of the operation of the disc. The arrows are used for the purpose of indicating the respective columns for the scores of the respective players.

. The respective numbers of each of the series 27a and 28a represent the respective object balls 42 used in. playing the game of pocket billiards,

,, and eachof these numbers is similar in color to Kelli twenty yards.

yards. titles a player toa field goal, and when the the object ball it represents to permit it to be readily identified when the object ball it repre sents is pocketed and entitles the player to move the football 14 over the field 9 for a distance corresponding in yards tothenumber of the object ball pocketed. If, for instance, the object ball-.9 is pocketed the player engages the instru ment in thatopening of the disc 25 opposite 1111111- ber 9. on casing wall. 2, and moves the instrument downwardly until it contacts with the bottom wall of the slot with which such opening registers.

.The resulting movement of the disc 25 moves the football 14 over the. field 9 for a distance corresponding to nine yards in. a regulation field.

Preparatory to playing the game, which I call billiard football, the football 14 is moved to the yard line of the field 9, and the object balls 42 are racked on the billiard table 43 in the usual manner. The game is played with a one 44 and one ball 45. In accordance with the wishes of the players, the play of the game may be either call-shot or scratch style of play. In call-shot all object balls must be called. In scratch style of play, any object ball may be shot and they need not be called. For each object ball pocketed goal is made. a player scores three points. The pocketing of the l3-ball constitutes afumble,

and a player making a fumble sustains a thirteen yard loss.

All objects balls pocketed, intentionally or otherwise, are leftcffthe table until a player has missed an object ball, played safe, fumbled, punted, or the cue-ball has left the table or entered a pocket. After thescore made, if any, has been credited to a player on the scoresheet, the balls that were pocketed by the player are spotted in rotation (lowest number first) on the spot at the foot of the table.

If there are more balls than the space between the spot and rail will hold, the remaining balls are arranged from the spot towards the center of: the table in their natural sequence. After the balls have been spotted, the other player shoots, and the game ends when the respective players have shot eight frames alternately.

Should a player make sufficient yardage to put the football over his opponents goal, he would make a touchdown and score six points. One point additional is scored if the next shot after the touchdown is successful. If the point is. made, the player continues to shoot, running the football back from the 50 yard line. This shot cannot be made straight in but must be either; a bank, billiard or combination shot, and it must be called in either call-shot or scratch style of play. If an object ball is not in a favorable position for either of these shots, a player may waive this extra point and. play the shot safe. He must, however, try for this extra point or play the shot safe.

If a player has but 20 to 30 yards to go to make a touchdown, and the 3-ball occupies. a favorable position on the table, he may call this ball a field goal ball, and should he pocket this ball he would make a field goal and score three points. In either call-shot or scratch style of play, the player must state before the shot which play he intends to make.

A penalty is imposed, in favor of his opponent, in the event that a players cue-ball goes off the table, goes into a pocket, or does not hit an ob ject ball. The penalty for the first offense is 5 yards, for the second oifense 10 yards, and for the third and each succeeding offense 15 yards. Should a penalty result in placing the football over the goal the player is defending, two points are scored for the opponent. to a players advantage to deliberately penalize himself, giving his opponent two points, if the score is close and the object balls are in such a position as to present difficult shots, for the reason that with the football so near the goal, the

player may be able to make six points and possibly more on his next shot, whereas two points are all that he could make unless be runs the football back from the 50 yard line. A 15 yard penalty is imposed in case a try for a of play, the player may call a punt after the shot has been made. The l-ball made as a punt advances the football forty yards. The player must watch that the punt does not carry the football over the goal, for the reason that should this. occur the football would have to be If this shot is made, the football is ad- I It may be brought back to the players 20 yard line before play could be resumed.

' A player loses the football with a 13 yard loss whenever the 13-ball enters a pocket. Any other object balls that may enter a pocket with the 13-ball are not counted. A touchdown is scored for a players opponent in the event that fumble penalty places the football over the goal.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that the game includes substantially all the gains, losses, penalties, plays, scores and the like obtained in the game of football as actually played and that the result of the game depends on the skill of the respective players in the game of pocket billiards, and that the game adds to the game of billiards the interest and enthusiasm of the game of football.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A game apparatus comprising a member bearing on the front side thereof the representation of a football field, said member having a slot extending longitudinally of the field, an arm extending through the slot, a miniature football carried by the front end of said arm, means located rearwardly of said member and having the arm connected thereto, said means being operable to move the arm lengthwise of the slot, and a disc rotatably mounted at the rear side of said member and connected to said means and constituting an operating member therefor, the disc being provided with a series of openings, and said member being provided at opposite sides of the axis of the disc with slots through which some of the openings may be engaged to effect the operation of the disc.

2. A game apparatus comprising a member bearing on the front side thereof the representation of a football field and provided with a slot extending longitudinally of the field, an arm extending through the slot, a miniature football secured to the front end of the arm, a drum and guide pulleys at the rear side of said member, a cable passing about the pulleys and secured to the drum for operation thereby, the pulleys. supporting a part of the cable for movement lengthwise of the slot, the arm having its rear end secured to said part of the cable, and a disc secured to the drum and movable in opposite directions to actuate the drum, the disc being provided with a series of openings near its edge, and said member being provided at opposite sides of the axis of the disc with slots through which some of the openings may be engaged to effect the operation of the disc.

3. A game apparatus comprising a member bearing on the front side thereof the representation of a football field and provided with a slot extending longitudinally of the field, an arm extending through the slot, a miniature football secured to the front end of the arm, a drum and guide pulleys at the rear side of said member, a cable passing about the pulleys and secured to the drurn for operation thereby, the pulleys supporting a part of the cable for movem nt length wise of the slot, the arm having its rear end secured to saidpart of the cable, a disc secured to the drum and movable in opposite directions to actuate the drum, the disc being provided with a series of openings near its edge, said member being provided at opposite sides of the axis of the disc with slots through which some of the openings may be engaged to effect the operation of the disc, and means for limiting the operation of the disc in each direction.

4. A game apparatus comprising a member bearing on the front side thereof the representation of a football field and provided with a slot extending longitudinally of the field, an arm extending through the slot, a miniature football secured to the front end of the arm, a drum and guide pulleys at the rear side of said member, a cable passing about the pulleys and secured to the drum for operation thereby, the pulleys supporting a part of the cable for movement lengthwise of the slot, the arm having its rear end secured to said part of the cable, a disc secured to the drum and movable in opposite directions to actuate the drum, the disc being provided with a series of openings near its edge, said member being provided at opposite sides of the axis of the disc with slots through which some of the openings may be engaged to effect the operation of the disc, and means bearing against the disc near the edge thereof to take up the thrust on the disc when an opening is engaged and the disc is being operated.

5. A game apparatus comprising a member bearing the representation of a football field and provided with a slot extending longitudinally of the field, an arm extending through the slot, a miniature football secured to the arm, a drum and guide pulleys at the rear side of said member, a cable passing about the pulleys and secured to the drum for operation thereby, the pulleys supporting a part of the cable for movement lengthwise of the slot, the arm being secured to said part of the cable, a disc secured to the drum and movable in opposite directions to actuate the drum, the disc being provided with a series of openings, said member being provided at opposite sides of the axis of the disc with slots through which some of the openings may be engaged to effect the operation of the disc, means for limiting the operation of the disc in each direction, and means bearing against the disc near the edge thereof to take up the thrust on the disc when an opening is engaged and the disc is being operated.

6. A game apparatus comprising a member bearing on the front side thereof the representation of a football field and provided with a slot extending longitudinally of the field, an arm extending through the slot, a miniature football secured to the front end of the arm, a drum and guide pulleys at the rear side of said member, a cable passing about the pulleys and secured to the drum for operation thereby, the pulleys supporting a part of the cable for movement lengthwise of the slot, the arm having its rear end secured to said part of the cable, a disc secured to the drum and movable in opposite directions to actuate the drum, the disc being provided with a series of openings near its edge, said member being provided at opposite sides of the axis of the disc with slots through which some of the openings may be engaged to effect the operation of the disc, a stop block secured to the disc, and a stop lever mounted for limited rocking movement in the path of the stop block.

7. A game apparatus comprising a member bearing on the front side thereof the representation of a football field and provided with a slot extending longitudinally of the field, an arm ex tending through the slot, a miniature football secured to the front end of the arm, a drum and guide pulleys at the rear side of said member, a cable passing about the pulleys and secured to the drum for operation thereby, the pulleys supporting a part of the cable for movement lengthwise of the slot, the arm having its rear end secured to said part of the cable, a disc secured to the drum and movable in opposite directions to actuate the drum, the disc being provided with a series of openings near its edge, said member being provided at opposite sides of the axis of the disc with slots through which some of the openings may be engaged to effect the operation of the disc, a stop block secured to the disc, a stop lever mounted for limited rocking movement in the path of the stop block, and thrust take-up members contacting with the disc near the edge thereof adjacent the slots through which the disc openings are accessible.

8. In a game apparatus for operation by an actuator, a member bearing the representation of a football field and having a slot, a miniature football movable over the field and having an arm movable in said slot, a rotatable disc mounted at one side of said member and having connections with said arm for moving the same in said slot, said disc having circularly extending means for engagement by an actuator, said member being formed with an arcuate slot exposing a portion of said circularly extending means and having ends limiting movement of an actuator;

9. In a game apparatus for operation by an actuator, a member bearing the representation of a football field and having a slot, a miniature football movable over the field and having an arm movable in said slot, a rotatable disc mounted at one side of said member and having connection with said arm for moving the same in said slot, said disc having circularly extending means for engagement by an actuator, said member being formed at opposite sides of the axis of said disc with separate arcuate slots exposing oppositely located portions of said circularly extending means and having ends limiting movement of an actuator.

lll. In a game apparatus for operation by an actuator, a member bearing the representation of a football field and having a slot, a miniature football movable over the field and having an arm movable in said slot, a rotatable disc mounted at one side of said member and having connection with said arm for moving the same in said slot, said disc having circularly extending means for engagement by an actuator, said member being formed at opposite sides of the axis of said disc with separate arcuate slots exposing oppositely located portions of said circularly extending means and having ends limiting movement of an actuator, and stop members of arcuate form for engagement by the peripheral portions of said discs and being located in line with said slots.

HOWARD AMSDEN. 

